Spotting autism in developing children can be complicated and sometimes pediatricians are not capable of diagnosing it at an early age.

Autism, a brain development disorder that impairs social interaction and communication, can have less severe effects if treated early.

Shannon Kinninger’s autistic son Justin first started noticing him lagging behind in weekly playgroups. “When he was supposed to be sitting up, he wasn’t sitting up. When he was supposed to be holding his head up he wasn’t holding his head up. When he was supposed to be rolling over, he wasn’t rolling over,” says Kinninger.

When Kinninger told her pediatrician about her concerns he kept reassuring her that Justin would be OK because boys develop slower than girls. Finally Justin was 4 he was diagnosed after Kinninger switched doctors. “He is autistic. I knew within five minutes after you came in,” explained the new pediatrician.

Kinninger and other autism advocates say they must fight for their children to make sure this situation does not happen again. Alison Singer, executive vice president of Autism Speaks, an awareness advocacy organization, suggests videotaping your child’s behavior and showing it to the doctor or getting a letter of support from the child’s day care provider can help.

Kinninger and Justin’s situation is a scary thing to think about. Misdiagnosing is a major problem and it can happen to anyone. If parents feel anything can be wrong with their child they should not just let their search for a diagnosis or explanation stop at the check-out counter at the doctor’s office. “When a parent thinks something is wrong with their child, they’re usually right,” emphasizes Singer. Educating yourself about the disease can also help with discussing the behavior with your doctor. Autism Speaks, First Signs, and the
American Academy of Pediatrics can all give excellent insight.